How to Host a Mystery
Mystery parties are a lot of fun! Usually the scenario includes a murder, but not necessarily, since it can be only a mystery with no death involved. For the most successful parties, you do need to have a group that will enthusiastically get into character for the role-playing aspect, and it always helps to have "suspects" who also enjoy wearing costumes, since that does help the atmosphere. As to decorations and menu, usually suggestions are included with the mystery, and you can feel free to be as elaborate or as simple as you like. As you can see elsewhere on this site, I am definitely not opposed to elaborate decorations, but for these mystery parties below, we didn't see the need for such a production...although I did make saloon doors for Bullets 'N' Barbecue! ;)
Since we seem to have great difficulty getting guests in the correct ratios of enough male and female characters, we have only done four mystery parties so far...
(from the How to Host a Murder series by Partyzone)
hosted at Louie Lee's new house on September 12th, 1998...
(an ancient box I had since 1984 and had never opened!)
hosted at Britta's apartment in honor of Tracia's birthday on May 12th, 2001
(now out of print - I found it on eBay - but also from the How to Host a Murder series by Partyzone)
hosted at Britta's apartment on April 28th, 2002
(from the Murder a la Carte series - another old box I had since the early 1990s and had never opened!)
hosted at Britta's house in honor of Tracia's birthday on May 15th, 2004